Lamp



Oct. 4, 1938. w so 2,131,828

LAMP

Filed July 15, 1936 INVENTOR I44/V 12 w/LL/A'Msolv BY awe,

HA5 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 4, 193s PATENT OFFEE LAMP Evan D. Williamson, San Francisco, Calif., as-

signer to E. D. Ballard Company, San Francisco, Califl, a corporation of California Application July 13,

1' Claim.

My invention relates to lamps; and the broad object of the invention is to provide an improved resilient mounting for the globe of a lamp.

The invention possesses other objects andfeatures of advantage, some of which with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of my invention. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to this diclosure of species I of my invention, as I may adopt variant embodi ments thereof within the scope of the claim.

Referring to the drawing:

The figure of the drawing is aside view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing a lamp embodying the improvements of my invention.

In terms of broad inclusion, the lamp of my invention comprises a housing, a reflector in the housing, a socket spaced from the reflector, and a cantilever spring mounting for the socket. The spring used for the mounting is preferably a coil spring fixed at one end and providing a support for the socket at its other end. By this arrangement a globe in the socket is free to vibrate relative to the reflector.

In greater detail, and referring to the drawing, the lamp construction of my invention, as embodied in a motorcycle headlight, comprises a housing 2 carried by a standard 3 having a suitable clamp 4 for mounting the lamp on the motorcycle. A reflector 5 is mounted in the forward portion of the housing by suitable brackets 6, and the front of the housing is covered by a lens 1 held in place by a ring clip 8; These elements are of ordinary lamp construction, and the showing made is merely for purposes of illustration, it being Lmderstood that the details of these features may be varied within wide limits.

My improved resilient mounting for the globe 9 and its socket l l comp-rises a spring l2 connected at one end to the housing and at the other end to the socket i i. By being fixed at one end and free at the other, the spring I2 is in the nature of a cantilever arm which is sufficiently rigid to hold the globe 9 in approximate position relative to the reflector 5, whileat the same time permitting free relative movement between these elements. Such a resilient mounting of the globe will per mit the latter to vibrate and disturb the light beams. This improves the visibility of the lamp, especially in signal lights, such as red headlights and tail lights. The breaking up of the light 1936, Serial No. 90,296

beams also operates to materially reduce the glare of ordinary headlights; and the resilient mounting further increases the useful life of the globe by reducing filament shock.

In my preferred construction the spring i2 is 6 a coil spring fastened at its rear end to a supporting block l3 secured in the rear end of the housing by a screw l4. Block i3 is preferably circular in shape and is provided with annular grooves l6 for receiving the end coils of the spring. If desired a drop of solder may be applied at this point to further secure the spring to the block.

Socket II is mounted in a ring I! having an annular groove l8 for receiving the forward end of the spring. If desired the socket supporting ring Il may also be soldered to the spring. Socket ll extends through its supporting ring 11, and the conductors [9 from the socket project rearwardly through the hollow core of the spring and lead out through a slot 2i cut in the supporting block I3. By this arrangement the conductors are protected from the wear which would occur if the conductors were led out between the convolutions of the spring. In order to give freedom for socket movement, a loop 22 is preferably provided in the conductors within the body of the spring.

For purposes of adjusting the focus of the lamp, the socket II. is preferably fitted within its supporting ring ll so that the socket may be adjusted axially with respect to the reflector. After adjustment has been made the socket ll may be fixed in permanent position, as by soldering or by providing a set screw in the supporting ring I1.

I claim:

A lamp comprising a housing, a reflector having an aperture mounted in the housing, a supporting block mounted in the housing behind the reflector, a coil spring fixed at one end to the block and projecting forwardly in the line of axis of said reflector'aperture, a socket mounted on the forward free end of the spring and spaced from the edges of the reflector aperture, said block having a passage leading from the forward end of the block and opening out on a side thereof inside the housing, and conductors connected with the socket and extending rearwardly through the core of the spring and passing out into the housing through said block passage.

EVAN D. WILLIAMSON. 

